NORTH Tamworth has started the Group 4 season the same way it left it, winning, with the Bears cruising through the Wests Knockout in Gunnedah until a tough grudge match with rivals Wests Lions in the final.
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The Bears ran out winners 18-nil in a final that didn’t lack any feeling, and set the tone for this season’s local derbys.
The knockout kicks off the Group 4 season every year, with all but a few clubs participating from both first and second division, as well as ladies League Tag.
It was a good day for premiers with the Oxley Diggers doing the same as the Bears in the ladies league tag, and also managed to turn it on in the final to beat underdogs Manilla 30-nil.
After first round losses, Walcha and Boggabri fought back to meet each other in an all second division all Roo plate final.
Excellent defence and great scramble from both sides kept the scoreboard vacant until deep into the second half.
Boggabri ended up breaking the deadlock with five minutes to go, and then again on the buzzer for an 8-nil victory, but the weekend belonged to the Bears.
They too had an excellent defensive record for the weekend, which was on full display in the final as they kept the Lions scoreless
The Lions were roaring as they welcomed back enforcer and premiership-winning frontrower Chris Vidler, as well as Matt Nean to the halves.
Those two players have built on the platform laid down last year by the rebuilding club, who beat last year’s finalists and hosts Gunnedah in the semi-final.
On the other side of the draw, North Tamworth beat Narrabri in the semi-final convincingly after a tight first half, following big victories over Uralla and Walcha in the round games.
The Bears right flank was uncontainable as Brad Marshall celebrated a return from injury with plenty of metres and plenty of tries.
Callum Hayne was once again a stand-out, last year’s top tryscoring winger now back at hooker and loving the role.
“It is much better in there,” Hayne said.
“I love it in the middle.”
He did too, the streaky flyer having a great running battle with Vidler all game.
Shane Wadwell and Nic Dobson also both performed well as the Bears pack were clinical in attack and stinging in defence, as they were all last season.
Coach Zac Russ said the side had achieved everything they set out to do, but is not getting too carried away just yet.
“I thought we were great defensively,” Russ said.
